Storage Technology Corporation

Terry J Barber

Anand V Lakshmikumaran

Ramesh Sundaram

Joseph Edward Torline

Ken Nosek

A magnetic tape head assembly with enclosed through slots to eliminate an air bearing at high tape speeds and lower operating tape tensions is provided. In one embodiment of the present invention, the magnetic tape head comprises a recording gap, containing read/write elements, across the width of the head and slots exposed to the tape head surface that faces the plane of the tape. These slots run through the head approximately perpendicular to the plane of the tape and are open to ambient pressure at a tape head surface other than the surface facing the plane of the tape. These slots are aligned with the read/write elements along the recording gap.

Tape head contour utilizing enclosed through slots

A magnetic tape head assembly for use with a moveable magnetic tape includes an interior tape head module having an interior magnetic gap, and first and second transverse slots disposed on opposite sides of the interior magnetic gap. Each of the transverse slots has inner and outer edges, and the interior module further has first and second slotted regions disposed proximate the outer edges of the first and second transverse slots, respectively. The assembly further includes first and second exterior tape head modules disposed adjacent opposite sides of the interior module. The first exterior module has a first magnetic gap, third and fourth transverse slots disposed on opposite sides of the first magnetic gap such that the fourth transverse slot is disposed between the first magnetic gap and the interior module, and a third slotted region disposed between the fourth transverse slot and the interior module. The second exterior module has a second magnetic gap, fifth and sixth transverse slots disposed on opposite sides of the second magnetic gap such that the fifth transverse slot is disposed between the second magnetic gap and the interior module, and a fourth slotted region disposed between the fifth transverse slot and the interior module. The transverse slots and the slotted regions cooperate to remove air entrained between the assembly and the tape as the tape moves over the assembly.

Magnetic tape head with combination bleed and transverse slotted contour

A magnetic tape head assembly is provided for use with a magnetic tape storage medium. The assembly includes an interior tape head module having a magnetic gap with transverse slots on each side of the gap which substantially eliminate air and debris entrained between the module and the tape as the tape moves over the module. The assembly also includes a first exterior tape head module on one side of the interior module, the first exterior module having a magnetic gap with transverse slots on each side of the gap and a width greater than that of the interior module. The assembly still further includes a second exterior tape head module on another side of the interior module, the second exterior module having a magnetic gap with transverse slots on each side of the gap and a width greater than that of the interior module. The distances between the magnetic gaps of the modules are each approximately 0.060 inches. The distances between the magnetic gaps and the outsides of the first and second exterior modules are sufficiently long to accommodate tape wrap angle variations such that the tape adequately engages the exterior modules. The interior and exterior modules each have a cylindrical contour with a radius of approximately 0.390 inches.

Transverse slotted magnetic tape head assembly

An improved magnetic tape head contour for reading from and writing to magnetic tape moving across the tape head has a unique configuration of bleed slots such that land width is limited to a width that optimizes flying height at increased tape speeds on the order of 4 meters/second. The number of bleed slots is increased to minimize tape undulations thereby minimizing tape head wear profile undulations. A single gutter slot is optionally provided at each end of the tape head to reduce end element wear and increase the useful life of the heads.

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Louisville, CO, United States of America

Terry J Barber